At a Glance
- Dricus Du Plessis (24 wins, 3 losses; 10-1 in the UFC) beats Kamaru Usman (21 wins, 5 losses; 16-4 in the UFC) by unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City, at the Paycom Center.
- The fight, contested at middleweight (185 pounds), was non-title: it pitted two former champions from two different divisions against each other.
- Both men walked away with a $100,000 Fight of the Night bonus each.
- Beaten for the second time at 185 pounds, Usman’s record in the division falls to 0-2.
UFC Oklahoma City delivered a main event worthy of the hype. Two former champions, from two different divisions, faced off at middleweight with neither able to afford another loss. Saturday night at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Dricus Du Plessis outworked Kamaru Usman over the distance to win by unanimous decision, with scores of 50-45 and twice 49-46 in his favor.
The event marked the UFC’s return to Oklahoma City, broadcast live on Paramount+. On paper, the matchup between Du Plessis and Usman had all the makings of a symbolic clash: the former middleweight champion facing the former welterweight champion, with neither man fighting in the division where he originally built his reputation. A backdrop that largely explained the intensity both men brought over five full rounds.
A Fight That Went Down to the Wire
The first two rounds were marked by tense standup exchanges, with Du Plessis landing clean right hands to Usman’s face several times without ever managing to hurt him. Usman held up well and kept firing back, making for a close but clear first round for the South African. The second round took a different turn: Du Plessis came out forward-footed, hammering his opponent’s legs then head, before wobbling him with a flying knee. Usman got back up quickly, only to eat a second knee moments later. A left hand from Du Plessis then caught Usman in the eye, prompting the referee to briefly pause the action before confirming it was indeed a legal punch. Usman made it to the bell, but the momentum clearly belonged to the younger man.
The third round was more measured, with both fighters showing signs of fatigue, but Du Plessis kept the edge, with Usman struggling to land his bigger shots. Usman did manage a takedown in the final minute, before Du Plessis got right back up. Sensing he was likely falling too far behind on the cards, Usman came out firing to start the fourth round, mixing punches and kicks with more subtle takedown attempts. It was Du Plessis, though, who turned the fight with a left high kick that sent Usman’s legs wobbling. The South African kept up the pressure, and while Usman landed a right hand in the fight’s final moments, it was not enough to stop the three judges from scoring it a unanimous decision.
A Win That Repositions Du Plessis in the Hierarchy
This win lets Dricus Du Plessis (24 wins, 3 losses; 10-1 in the UFC) bounce back from his title loss to Khamzat Chimaev last year, and puts him back in the conversation around current middleweight champion Sean Strickland. For Kamaru Usman (21 wins, 5 losses; 16-4 in the UFC), the former welterweight champion trying his hand at 185 pounds, this new setback drops his record in the division to 0-2, a stat that now raises questions about his path forward at this weight.
In the co-main event of the same night, Christian Leroy Duncan also turned heads, outworking veteran Jared Cannonier by unanimous decision, a result covered in detail in our dedicated article.
The Night’s Bonuses
Four fighters also earned a $100,000 bonus by the end of the night. Unsurprisingly, the main event between Du Plessis and Usman earned the Fight of the Night bonus, with both men never letting up over five rounds. On the Performance of the Night side, Tommy McMillen was rewarded for his third-round TKO win over Alberto Montes, improving to 2-0 in the UFC at just 28 years old. Felipe Franco also picked up a $100,000 bonus for his TKO win over Levi Rodrigues Jr, earned at 1:40 of the second round after reaching mount and landing a string of ground strikes: a first win in the promotion for the 25-year-old fighter. This string of bonuses reflects the level of intensity on display across the entire card, from the preliminary bouts through the main event.
FAQ
Who won the main event of UFC Oklahoma City?
Dricus Du Plessis beat Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision, with scores of 50-45, 49-46 and 49-46, in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City.
Was the fight between Du Plessis and Usman for a title?
No. It was a non-title fight contested at middleweight (185 pounds), between two former champions from different divisions.
Who received performance bonuses at UFC Oklahoma City?
Besides the $100,000 Fight of the Night bonuses for Du Plessis and Usman, Tommy McMillen and Felipe Franco each received a Performance of the Night bonus for their TKO wins.
The next event’s card and start times are on our UFC tonight page. See where everyone stands in the UFC rankings.
